This invention relates to games of chance as historically identified with Casinos.
The applicants"" methods are inclusive to a variety of live action table gaming formats, as well as electronic display applications of all types. Their inventive process engages the instrument of dice, the six-sided type to be specific. Also, the present invention utilizes a process formulated upon the use of three (3) dice being rolled at separate times through the course of each hand.
In action, this splitting of a hand""s roll, first rolling two (2) dice, then rolling a third single die, bares unique consequences to the applicants"" applied industry of casino gaming. Moreover, a quick simplistic method of xe2x80x9cdice playxe2x80x9d is provided for player(s) looking for a fun, entertaining time, wherein a reasonable chance of winning may be had.
Presently, the applicants"" know of no game, either of the xe2x80x9cParlorxe2x80x9d variety or any other form of xe2x80x9clive action/video games,xe2x80x9d including those banked by a house (casino) being managed with or without dealers that are presently under Patent enforcement or otherwise which might be construed as teaching on or reading upon their concepts and process of play.
Therefore, Public Domain games are most appropriately discussed here.
In the arena of the Public Domain, two games, Bank Craps and English Hazard, come to mind. Both games have their instruments (dice) and therefore, their root origins (process of play) originally associated together. This is not only because they are games played with dice but, more importantly because, once-upon-a-time there were two varieties of English Hazard. There was two-dice Hazard and three-dice Hazard. Two-dice Hazard ultimately became Bank Craps while three-dice Hazard ultimately became Grand Hazard or just plain Hazard.
In recent centuries, most dice games have evolved to utilize six-sided dice for their consequence of play. This is well known on the one hand regarding Bank Craps (Craps), wherein a matched-pair is used for play. On the other hand, Grand Hazard (Hazard) uses a set of three (3) six-sided dice.
Given that Craps is multifaceted in its play, and historically the grand daddy of dice games, a basic understanding of the core methodology of Pass line play, along with a compatible understanding of the core process for playing Hazard is forthcoming and primary to the arrival of the applicants"" inventive process, as described and illustrated further below.
Nevertheless, casino games, be they old or new, must maintain the public""s continuing participation in significant enough numbers as to support their value (hold %) in each casino. In this way, the housemasters (casino management) who are the sponsors of all forms of gaming, including their environmental surroundings, can justify their useful existence.
Also, in the gaining business, there is one particularly important issue that is held foremost in the minds of housemasters. This issue is a concept known as xe2x80x9cTime-In-Playxe2x80x9d. In the casino business, the house""s intentions are to part their customers from as much of their money as possible, but not so fast as to leave them feeling fleeced or ripped-off. Hence, even though a game""s odds must necessarily favor the casino, the lower the house""s percentage edge (vigorish or vig. as it is known in the business), the better the opportunity for continuing the public""s patronage, whereby the game can ultimately become a profitable asset for housemasters.
Of course, this is notwithstanding a customer doing something really stupid.
As for the game of Craps, there are 36 possible outcomes on a pair of xe2x80x9cfair dicexe2x80x9d with the xe2x80x9csevenxe2x80x9d being the most likely number to show. When playing the Pass line, the front and center core of the game, a player is wagering that a Point number (i.e., 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) will be established (thrown) and then repeated again before a xe2x80x9csevenxe2x80x9d shows, no matter how many no consequence rolls it takes. If the number is repeated (thrown) again before a xe2x80x9csevenxe2x80x9d shows, the hand is won.
Should the xe2x80x9csevenxe2x80x9d show first before the established xe2x80x9cPointxe2x80x9d number does, the hand is lost. These are the fundamentals for Pass line play in the game of Craps. In action, Craps is often very difficult to follow and therefore hard to understand. However, the xe2x80x9cvig.xe2x80x9d (the house""s percentage edge against the player) appears tolerable on the Pass line, at xe2x88x921.4%, to most that attempt its play. Additionally, Craps offers a number of aincillary wagers available to players but, they too are of little value in comparison to the core process of play relating to the applicants"" game.
The game of Hazard, on the other hand, is quite simple to understand because all wagering opportunities across the board are do or die upon each roll of the dice. That is, all three dice being rolled at once.
Moreover, Hazard, by virtue of being a three (3) dice game, has 216 possible outcomes to be factored from 3xcx9c18. As such, Hazard has as its main consequence of play, a Field number selection of 4xcx9c17. For the purpose of expression, think of it like this, the 3/4-5-6-7-8-9-11-12-13-14-15-16-17/18 as viewed in the shape of a bowl.
So, as one sees this in play, the 10 and 11 are at the bottom center of the bowl, being that these two numbers are equally the most likely to show (27 ways each) and, therefore payoff the least amount of money (6 for 1) when they do show. Likewise, as we look up the sides of this bowl, we see each congruent number set (i.e., 10 and 11; 9 and 12; 8 and 13 etc.), all the way up to and including the 4 and 17, which pays the most at (60 for 1). Therefore, because these number(s) are less and less likely to show, these number(s) pay more when they do show. But, to the significant detriment of the game, Hazard maintains a very heavy vigorish (house edge) over the player through its Field number wagers at xe2x88x9216⅔% to xe2x88x9230{fraction (5/9)}%.
Since Hazard""s heavy vigs. are a fixed mathematical result of three-dice being rolled all at one time, wherein a single event""s outcome represents the beginning and end of a hand, it is really no wonder that Hazard""s 500 plus year history has faded.
Furthermore, as in Craps, Hazard has numerous ancillary wagers that play along with the established main Field number selection 4xcx9c17. These ancillary wagers include even money payoffs like the High-/Low and Odd/Even number groups as well as long shots wagers like Three-of-a-Kind, Aces (3), Deuces (6), Trays (9), Squares (12), Flowers (15), and Boxcars (18). Although, they too are one roll wagers. Moreover, such ancillary wagers still offer little useful assistance in understanding the core process of play regarding the applicants"" game as claimed.
Consequently, in years gone by, players have said about Hazard, xe2x80x9cAll you need are a few get lucky wins to get startedxe2x80x9d to give you a real chance of xe2x80x9chit""em bigxe2x80x9d. Of course, assuming you as a player have deep enough pockets to weather the loses in search of that xe2x80x9cbigxe2x80x9d hit.
Craps to the contrary, is a very difficult game to grasp especially in its casino environment, which has always been a driving reality feeding its waning status of more recent years, even in view of its perceived lower vigorish working against its players.
Although from the applicants"" perspective, there is an alternative, the applicants"" three (3) dice game ascends aside of such examples. That is, would-be dice players would no longer have only the option of playing a complicated game like Craps or a heavy vig. game like Hazard.
First, unlike Craps, the applicants"" game is simple, requiring only passive mental engagement on the part of its players. Second, unlike Hazard, the applicants"" three-dice game exacts a significantly lower working percentage against its player(s), in that the applicants"" balanced methodology deploys a never before taught synergy of ameliorating consequences.
As such, these consequences are directly related to the applicants"" establishment of a xe2x80x9csplitxe2x80x9d two-roll-event hand of play, the effects of which purposely impact upon the workable mathematics of a three-dice outcome dynamic.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the applicants"" three-dice game are the method of splitting a hand into two (2) separate events, first rolling two-dice, then rolling a third single die, rather than rolling all-three-dice together for a single do or die event. The former methodology of three-dice play clearly recognizes and resolves the long established problem of an inherently strong vigorish that has traditionally been associated with three-dice games. This is particularly the case regarding Hazard""s core sets of Field number play(s) 4xcx9c17.
Moreover, the applicants"" game by de facto of being a three-dice game, plays through a total range of numbers 3xcx9c18 just as its Hazard origins do. But, wholly unlike Hazard or any other dice game known to the applicants, the applicants"" applied technique in splitting a hand""s play into two (2) separate but coalescing rolls of the dice establishes a circumstance of which there results not only a significantly reduced vigorish at work, but also a very unique two-tier pay schedule as well.
Likewise, the applicants"" methodologies establish the additional outcomes of Aces (2) and Ace-Deuce (3), respectively, for the first two-dice event of a hand. Therefore, this splitting of a hand""s rolls into separate but coalescing events then results in the factoring of three additional outcomes (219 instead of 216), whereby adding to the mathematical dynamics of the applicants"" three-dice gaming tactics.
Furthermore, it is the primary objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide a competitively low vigorish working through the applicants"" game of core Field number(s) 4xcx9c17, therein establishing a new two-tier pay schedule.
It is another objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide a wholly new, wagering opportunity, wherein the player(s) can benefit from the impact of two (2) winning numbers occurring through each hand instead of just one (1).
It is still yet another objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide a unique adaptation in having up to five (5) surviving Field numbers as a core consequence of play, albeit, there is no mathematical necessity for such a play.
It is still yet another objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide a counter balancing, low impact wipe-out number that of an Ace and a Deuce (3) (i.e., 1-2; 2-1), being applied to affect the first two-dice event of a new hand.
It is still yet another objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide an additional assortment of ancillary wagers being offered for simultaneous action with the core methodology for Field play from which players can choose.
It is still yet another objective of the present methodology for dice play to provide an entirely new perspective of thought provoking play that competently coincides with accepted mathematical mechanics and procedures regarding the applied probabilities of chance.
Another consideration regarding the applicants"" game lies in the nature and function of the fallout of losing numbers for which players endure through each hand, notwithstanding the showing of an ace-deuce (3) upon the first roll therein.
In play, the falling out of losing numbers works like this. After wagering, say the hand begins with a two-dice roll of nine (9). This means the Field numbers four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7) and eight (8) lying sequentially before the nine (9) all fallout as wins for the house and losers for the player(s).
Followed quickly by the third die""s roll of say a five (5), therein at once being added to the first winning roll of nine (9) to then total a second winning roll number for the hand of fourteen (14). This then leads to the falling out of the fifteen (15), sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) lying, this time, sequentially after the fourteen (14) as wins for the house and again as losers for the player(s), therein completing the hand.
In cooperation with this, there still remains the utilization of a low impact xe2x80x9cwipe-outxe2x80x9d roll, that of an ace-deuce (3), showing upon the first roll of a new hand. Herein, all Field number wagers along with most all other ancillary wagers being represented within the bounds of the applicants"" gaming layout will fallout to the house as well. This is because the rolling of an ace-deuce (3) functions to offset a limited measure of the house""s potential for over exposure and therefore, extended financial loss from splitting a hand""s play into two distinct rolls.
Frankly, if the ameliorating effects of splitting a hand""s play into two separate but coalescing rolls of the dice wasn""t so successful in reducing the house""s vigorish against players in the first place, therein allowing for surviving number(s) too, the utilization of a xe2x80x9cwipe outxe2x80x9d roll being applied through the rolling of an ace-deuce (3) upon the first roll event of a new hand would serve no particularly useful purpose.
Heretofore is a comparative example of the synergistic impact and effect of the applicants"" method for splitting a hand into two coalescing rolls versus a single all-in-one roll, as historically associated with Hazard""s process of play.
For example, two of Hazard""s congruent number sets, 7 and 14; 9 and 12, exercise a xe2x88x9216⅔% and xe2x88x9230{fraction (5/9)}% vigs. respectively, over the player(s). While within the applicants"" three-dice game, the player(s) are not only exposed to a significantly lower accrued vigorish of a xe2x88x922⅓% on the 7, xe2x88x927xe2x85x9c% on the 14, xe2x88x925xc2xd% on the 9, and xe2x88x922xc2xe% on the 12 respectively.
But again, players will often experience a procession of surviving number(s) riding through each hand. A consequence for which player(s) are provided with the option of either moving surviving wager(s), removing surviving wager(s), or simply receiving another round of action for letting their wager(s) ride through for the outcome(s) of the next hand.
Immediately below is a likely predetermined payoff schedule for the applicants"" Field numbers 4xcx9c17 wagers, as well as the basic ancillary wagers being discussed and shown along with their aggregate vigorish-percentages working against such wagers.
Clearly in practice, and as further illustrated in the applicants"" preferred embodiment, the first event rolling of two-dice together factors in one probability cast of outcomes, including the additional impact of an ameliorating xe2x80x9cwipe-out,xe2x80x9d ace-deuce (3), application being factored within a first-tier schedule of payoffs, as well.
Next, a second event rolling of the third single die, begins with its own numeric outcome being found in a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. This outcome is then added together with the first event""s sum to establish a second winning number, having its own probability cast of outcomes incumbent within a second tier schedule of payoffs as described above.
To the knowledge of the applicants, none of these consequences have ever been played out in any previous dice game of record. Further objectives and advantages of the applicants"" applied methodologies will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.